Package assembly



Dec. 21, 1948. J..A. BAKER 2,456,610

PACKAGE ASSEMBLY Filed July 2, 1945 IN VEN TOR ATTO/www5' Patented Dec. 21, 1948 PACKAGE ASSEMBLY James A. Baker, Shorewood, Wis., assignor to Milprint, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application July 2, 1945, Serial No. 602,821

4 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in the art of packing diverse commodities in order to facilitate transportation, storage, and merchandising thereof; and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and use of special wrapping assem-V blages for tapered cup-shaped or other nonrectangular prismatic containers or the like. The primary object of my invention is to provide improved instrumentalities for effectively confining tapered circular or otherwise nonrectangular prismatic receptacles within wrappers which will produce rectangular prismatic final packages adapted to be compactly stacked or otherwise confined within rectangular spaces.

In the art of'packaging commodities such as liquids,v solids, or mixtures of liquids and solids, in individual batches for convenient handling, it is frequently desirable to utilize tapered cups or other non-rectangular prismatic containers. It is difficult to stack and to otherwise assemble these tapered receptacles in shipping boxes and other rectangular confining spaces, because of the fact that their peculiar shape prevents proper side wall contact between the adjacent containers sufficient to maintain the same in erect condition at alltimes; and the cup-like receptacles would therefore tend to tip over and roll around with resultant damage and waste of commodity. It is also impossible to utilize standard automatic wrapping machines in order to quickly and effectively Wrap such non-rectangular containers into neat packages, because these machines are primarily adapted to handle rectangular prismatic bodies. When utilizing such cupshaped commodity containers, it is also often desirable to display and to sell the batches in groups of two yor more. of the individual packages, and to provide attractive display Wrappers for the groups. While various methods of Wrapping and of confining such tapered receptacles in order to eliminate the above mentioned difficulties have heretofore been proposed, none of these have proven satisfactoryleither because they were too costly or because they did not solve the problem.. l

It is therefore a more specific object of the present invention to providean improved package assembly for tapered cup-shaped containers or the like, whereby one or more yof the individual cups may be effectively maintained in upright position and conned within a rectangular prismatic space for compact and stable stacking or other disposition,

:Another specific object of theA inventlonis to (Cl. 20G-45.33)

provide an attractive and effective display wrapper for cup-like tapered receptacles, which may be produced at slight cost and readily applied to the commodity containers.

A further specic object of this invention is to provide an improved form for permitting rapid and effective wrapping of several similarrelatively unstable individual commodity laden cups or the like, in compact grouped arrangement and in a highly attractive manner, with the aid of standard automatic container wrapping machines.

Still another specific object of my invention is to provide a new and highly useful and readily applicable combined support and wrapper for several individual commodity laden receptacles, which may be conveniently utilized to assemble the containers in successive regularly arranged groups.

These and other specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and of the mode of producing package assemblages involving the present improvement, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one of the improved cup supporting, positioning, and partial confining blanks used in producing the new package assembly;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the blanks of Fig. 1 folded and assembled for normal use, and showing several tapered cup-shaped commodity laden containers initially applied thereto; and

Fig. 3 is a similar perspective view of one of the improved final package assemblages comprising the assembled blank, a pair of commodity laden containers, and an outer transparent wrapper coacting with and enclosing the base blank and containers.

While' the invention has been shown and described herein by way of illustration as being advantageously applicable to a package assembly having a pair `of tapered commodity laden circular cups positioned side by side in a cardboard support and finally enclosed within a transparent wrapper to produce a rectangular prismatic package, it is not my desire or intent to unnecessarily restrict the scope or to limit The improved cardboard blanks mayhccut from sheets and properly scored with the aid of suitable punches and dies, andneach .di Af'these blanks 5 consists primarily. ofsarrectangularrelon'# gated base section 9, having rectangular wall aps I0 hingedly secured to.its-.,opposite=.,ends and also having a rectangular positioning plate or deck II swingably associated with=one lside thereof by means of an intervening rectangular m.ately-,thesameshapeandA size as 4thebase section andihas f a 1pair'fof circul ar. cup positioning., openings I3 therein, andthe-sided the deck .IfI fre'- moteirom thevhinge wall .5:2 .is vprovided with anotherrectangula-r spacer -wall Il! hingedl-yfncon- .nected thereto along one .edge .andprovided along its `Qpposite -ledge .with .an integral attaching .fl-apsl.

.Thetapered,.prisrnatic .receptacles 16 may .be formed :,cf-i paper, metal, or other-material and have lower end diameters approximately equal 4,to ,those .or the deck openings I-3, and `these @cups maybe `filled-.witli batchesof either liquid,;=solid, or i mixed.. liquid. and. A.solid commodities of .various kinds. .The batchesmaybe confinedwithin-.the individualcommodity laden. receptacles y.by means ofcovers 1. .or` otherwise, so as to...avoid,undesirable escape of material from the cups.

.The wrappers k8 may. be formedeither. of. .opaque or Lt'ransparent sheet material, and may .he provided with attractive indicia and advertising. The material from which these ,Wrappers are 'formed' should "be rather thin and 'flexible'.but tenacious in textureyand ythe use of'tr'ansparent sheet `rmaterial is ldesirable 'for display purposes. Whenproducing 'an improved package lassemsembly with the vaid o'f` ,a'blank 'receptacles '16, fa-ndan cuter-wrapper 8- such vas described'herein, the1blan'ki5eshould first beassembled as shown in Fig. 2 by folding the spacer walls I2, I4 relative totlaey positioning Adeck' I l soas.y to bring this-deck above'. and .parallel .to the? base sectionl, andby thereafter gluing the Hap flftoxthe sidel edge-:of the base remote from the spacer wall I2. r.'Il-he commodity laden tapered .cupfshaped-.receptacles 6 mayithen befpositi'oned `with their lower-en'ds within :the '.deck openings I3Y `:and :resting i upon thebasefsection 'f'the blank .5. The vend-walls or naps In may then be swung into erectDQsitiOn'into-.cQntaCt' with `the adjacent ends:of'.t he deck :Maand -with `the adjacent y clos-ure caps .or covers'flf ofthe cups, whereupon the outen wrapper fmay, be readilyy applied. and .adhesivelyfattached to .the ,upright .end -wall flaps I Il as. shown in rFig. ,3 to produce a rectangular prismatic nalfpacleage. Becauseof the .fact .thatthe rigid base section 9..and deck ...II.,cooperate With the stiff. endW-alls orflaps msand with thespacer .walls I2, IIA to providearelativ'ely rigid rectangular .prismatic form for confining the ,tapered.cups' 5, these cup and [form .assemblages 4may `Qbe readily lally ,WIpDefd in'most `of the standard wrapping machines now in ,common use. Thisis anexcee'dingly' important feature o'f my presentl invention, since it'permits rapid and convenientnal wrap- TVis ping of many types of bodies and receptacles for diverse commodities, which could heretofore be wrapped only by slow and tedious methods and at considerably higher cost.

When the composite package has been thus properly assembled, the lower ends of the receptacles 6 will be denitely positioned and held tmpropergposition by the`v cleckill.; Jai-Kthe upper frimsof the cups -.vvill be. snugly--zerigage`d by the side Wall flaps Il), and will also contact each 7:other at the central transverse Vertical plane .oithe package. The base section 9, aps IU, and

the spacer walls I2, i4 will then cooperate with @the upperacup rimsand covers 1, to provide the A:open ,sidedzrigidfform for the Wrapper 8, since the apslitareofithe same length as the height oLthe ,receptacles 6, and are also of the same width as the diameters of the upper cup rims.

" The'wrapper 8 when properly applied to this form produced by the assembled blank 5 and .cups 1,16, will obviously provide .-a Well supported rectangular v.prisrnatic fenclosure for the tacleseand .-a 'final pack-age .assembly ysWl'iic; :be-:readilyfgroupedzin-.compactwarrangemen g otherssimilar assemblages. l,By utilizing trans- .parent wrappers, thepackedcontainers iuwill also-be, plainly-visible. for .display,..and merchandising purposesfandsboththe cups yand .the .wrappers, as .Well as ,the Ablanks .5,4 may. bedecorated so as .tosenhance .thefaesthetic appearances-,of thefnal lpackages. y

,From the Aforegoing.v detailed. lcilescription ,it will `be .apparent that myv present invention provides anzir-nproved package assemblyfor tapered llpf shaped receptacles. 6.l orthe like, .whichtisgsimple .compact,-and durable in` construction, .andwherein :the @tapered .-and relatively unstable .cups `are effectively held in-fupright position fand con-fined in .a ,sturdy rectangular nprismaticlenclosure; or wrapperf. The improvedy nalpackageslmay be rapidly. and effectively producedin.standardautef- 1n-atie :wrapping machines and besides being highly. attractive -in appearance, i'may bestacked and :assembled .inordinary rectangular.

boxes.; andil anydesi-red number ,of the individual' A,containers Sfmay be confinedfin eachpackageasf sembly. Theblanks 5 may obviouslybe ,produced at moderate. cost from inexpensive cardbcardr thelike, .and .can be quickly;- and Aconveniently s.- vsembled tozprcdu-ce fthe :Uf-,shaped `rectan ar forms fand tto @also produce sccketsyfor',rrnlyvsupfporting; the cups, tand ythe :tapered receptacles c6 may beeither :commodity 'laden tcontainersmriany other .taperedzor unstable objects having-.generally similarrshape. '.'It is also noteworthy :that the use .of transparentuwrappers 8 while not fbeingves.- sential,y makes it vposssiblerto attractively. display the '-enwrapped articles for rmerchandisingr '1131111.- poses, without `subjecting :the I:receptacles .6 cto direct handling, .thus .making yrthe 'packagesanif tary .in use vbytlfioroirghly.protecting the indie vidual'ccntainers.

jIt f should be .understood that :fit is .not..-.de'sir,ed tor limit thisy invention to .the exact` details-:oneens struction, ycr to the :precise :mode s of aise, therein shown and described, for Various modifcatons within the scope ofnthe appended .claims,:mayoc curI-to persons skilledin the art.

`1. lA package -.=assembly comprising, la 1 umtary cardboard blankhaving a base. .provided .with hingedly connected` oppositeend wallsvandwitlnfa deck-.swingably connected. torthefbase'gby ravspacer wall of considerably less heightf-thanfsaideen'd Walls, LAsaid vdeck Yhaving ireceptacle positioning openings therein and said blank being foldable along the opposite edges of said spacer wall to position said deck a definite distance above said base and said end Walls being foldable upwardly into engagement with the opposite ends of the deck to cause the end walls to project a considerable distance above the deck, receptacles having their lower ends resting directly upon said base and their upper ends flush with the tops of said end walls and being snugly conned within said deck openings, and a wrapper coacting with said base and outer sides and tops of said end walls and with the upper ends of said receptacles.

2. A package assembly comprising, a unitary cardboard blank having a base provided with hingedly connected opposite end walls and with a deck having one edge hingedly connected to the adjacent edge of said base lby a spacer wall and provided along its opposite edge with a spacer ap, said deck having therein receptacle positioning openings and said blank being foldable to cause said spacer wall and flap to position said deck a definite distance above said base and said end walls being thereafter foldable upwardly against the opposite ends of the deck, receptacles having their lower ends resting directly upon said base and coniined within said deck openings while their upper ends lie substantially flush with the upper edges of said walls, and a transparent wrapper coacting with said base and walls and with the tops of said receptacles to provide a prismatic enclosure for the receptacles.

3. A package assembly comprising, a one-piece cardboard blank having a rectangular base provided with hinge'dly connected opposite rectangular end walls and also provided with a rectangular deck swingably connected to said base by a spacer wall and having circular receptacle positioning openings therein, said blank being foldable into U-shaped formation with said walls extending upwardly from said base and said deck being ioldably connected to said base by said spacer wall for disposition a definite distance above the base between the end walls, tapered circular receptacles having their lower smaller ends resting upon said base and snugly conned within said openings, and a wrapper coacting with said base and walls and with the tops of said receptacles to provide a rectangular prismatic enclosure for the latter.

4. A package assembly comprising, a one-piece cardboard blank having a rectangular vbase provided with hingedly connected opposite rectangular end Walls and also provided with a rectangular deck swingably connected to said base by a spacer wall and having circular receptacle positioning openings therein, said blank being foldable into U-shaped formation with said Walls extending upwardly from said base and said deck being foldably connected to said base by said Spacer wall for disposition a definite distance above the base between the end walls, tapered circular receptacles having their lower smaller ends resting upon said base and snugly confined within said openings and also having upper enlarged ends lying in the common horizontal plane of the upper wall extremities, and a transparent wrapper coacting with said base and walls and with said enlarged upper receptacle ends to provide a rectangular prismatic enclosure for said receptacles.

JAMES A. BAKER.

` REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 120,125 Korda Apr. 23, 1940 1,705,849 Barber Mar. 19, 1929 2,102,971 Petremont Dec. 21, 1937 2,245,064 Bemiss June 10, 1941 2,426,865 Fink Sept. 2, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 27,537/30 Australia June 1, 1931 

